DNP to Launch Weather and Wear Resistant Resin Glass for Automobiles

Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. (DNP) has developed a hard coat transfer film
that improves weather and wear resistance by transferring to resin glass1, and
will launch sales of the resin glass in February 2016.

The resin glass is equipped with advanced weather and wear resistant features,
and also makes it possible to reduce ultraviolet (UV) derived deterioration.
The newly developed hard coat transfer film has been adopted for use with resin
glass in automobile windows.

[Background]

DNP has positioned Lifestyle and Mobility as one of business growth areas.
Along with residences, work places, schools and commercial facilities, the Company
is also endeavoring to ensure comfort in moving spaces, such as automobiles
and trains. And at the same time, we are also looking to create information
services that can be accessed anywhere, anytime. In the automobile area, the
Company currently offers decorative film for interior purposes and a viewing
angle control film targeting in-vehicle displays. In addition to these efforts,
DNP has also moved to strengthen its business base. In August, 2015, Tamura
Plastic MFG Co., Ltd., which maintains a substantial domestic share in side
visors attached to the upper portion of automobile windows, became part of the
DNP Group.

Apart from maintaining superior anti-shock and thermal insulation properties,
the weight of the resin glass is approximately half that compared to existing
glass, and we are seeing increased needs for use as window glass in train carriages,
construction equipment and automobiles.

While polycarbonate resin glass has superior processing features, it presents
the challenge of being inferior to standard glass in the areas of weather resistance
to sunlight and the elements, in hardness and also anti-scratching features.
In answer to these challenges, DNP has leveraged unique Electron Beam (EB) technology2
developed through the manufacture of materials for housing, and has successfully
developed a film that improves weather and wear resistance by transferring this
to the surface of resin glass. The Company will market the resin glass to which
this film has been transferred.

[Features of Newly Developed Resin Glass]

It has been made possible to configure a hard coat layer
which has high hardness by using EB technology, which compared with polycarbonate
resin used in generic products, is more difficult to scratch due to improvements
in surface wear resistance. At the same time, it has also been made possible
to improve weather resistance, including UV-derived discoloration and deterioration.

By molding the resin glass at the same time as transferring
the film, it has been possible to reduce processing costs.

As the newly developed product is plastic, the weight
is approximately half that of glass, while maintaining a similar transparency
to glass.

The newly developed product exhibits superior anti-shock
features, and as there is little possibility of shattering, means that it also
maintains superior safety features.

[Forward Looking Events]

DNP will market the newly developed resin glass for use in railway carriages,
construction equipment, automobiles and busses, aiming for total sales of 1.0
billion yen by FY 2017.

1: Resin glass: Not a general glass based on silicic acid, but an organic
glass based on plastics such as polycarbonate.

2: EB technology: A coating technology used in the hardening of irradiated
resin. Compared to products coated with urethane or UV resin, EB technology
makes such products more resilient against scratching, fouling and sunlight,
and makes it possible to ensure advanced resilience and practical performance,
and stable quality properties. EB technology is a next-generation eco-friendly
technology that facilitates energy savings in the manufacturing process, reduced
CO2 emissions and solvent free coating.

* Product prices, specification and service contents mentioned in this news
release are current as of the date of publication. They may be changed at any
time without notice.